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C51S 



THE 



SONG OF THE SOWER 



<i 3/^^,/f- 



THE 



SON^G OF THE SOA^EE 



BY 

WILLIAM CULLEX BRYANT. 



JUustratcd luitli Fartij-twa Kngrauings on llJaod. 



/ 

NEW YOPvK: 
D. ATPLETON & COMPANY. 

MDCCCLXXI. 



'A 



\r. \ 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 

D. APPLETON & CO., 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



LIST OF ILLUSTEATIOI^S. 



ENGRAVER. TAGT. 



" The maples redden in the sun," 
" Rest, faithful plough," 
" Loose the tired steer," 



'GRiswOLn. ' Quartly. 



Fexx. '^Harley. 



Henxesst. '^Linton. 



10 



11 



" — early bluebirds sing," 



vBrsHiXG. Filmcr. 



12 



" The harvest that o'erflows the vale," 'Hows. 



Langrid<je. 



"The song of him who binds the grain," ^Hexxesst. 'LinUm. 



14 



' — from the distant grange," 



Fexx. 



K<n-^t. 



15 



" — the millstone hums 
Do^vn in the willowy vale," Fexx., 



-Harlcy. 



16 



" — harvest for the tented field," 



Homer. Kard. 



17 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



EXGRAVEK. PAOE 



feel ye not your fingers thrill," ^Xehlig. Flhner 



18 



■ Flowed till the herds, on Mincio's brink," 'Homer. Edmonds. 



10 



— chieftains to the war shall lead," ^Nehug. 



Filmcr. 



20 



" And lay the sword away,'" 



^Hows. 



Lhitoii. 



21 



"Oh strew, with pausing, shuddering hand," "Hennesst. L'mton. 



" — strew with free and joyous sweep," Fenn., ^Harlei/. 



' Strew the bright seed for those who tear 
The matted sward," Hennessy. 



Linton. 



24 



"And those whose sounding axes gleam," Hennessy. Linton. 

" And him who brealvs the quarry-ledge," Hennessy. Karst. 

"And him who with the steady sledge," Hennessy. Linton. 

" The roof-trees of our swarming race," Fenn^ ' Harleij. 

" The lengthening street," Fenn.^ ' Harlnj. 

" For the brave men that climb the mast," Fenn. , Filmer. 

" — for those who throw 

The clanking shuttle to and fro," Homer. Kavst. 

6 



24 



26 



28 



29 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



A pallid sisterhood, that keep 
The lonely lamp alight," 



ENGRAVKR 



■ Hennesst. Linton. 



30 



nuirmunng harp and viol's strings," IIennessy. Linton. 



81 



Welcome of the wedding guest," 

" Shipwrecked men, 
Who, hunger-worn," 



■Hennessy. Lintoh 



Fexn. 



Fihner. 



32 



33 



■Wanderers lost in woodlands drear," Pekkins. Langriclge. 



' — close alle3's of the town," 



IIennessy. Linton. 



35 



In chill roof-chambers, bleak anJ bare," IIennessy Linton. 



36 



Fill the rich ears that shade the mould," Hows. Edmonds 



37 



■ The mystic loaf that crowns the board," IIows. 



■ The seed is in its winter bed," 



• Griswold. 



"As when the mother, from her breast," IIennessy. 



Fay. 

Ilarleij. 

Linton. 



38 



39 



40 



■ The tempest now may smite," 



'Griswold. Linton. 



" Of winter breathe the bitter cold," Fenn. Quartly, 

•' Shall walk again the genial year," ■ Griswold. Edmonds. 

7 



41 



42 



43 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



ESGBATER. PAGE 



"The life which wakes aud that which sleeps," Hows. ^ Harley. 44 

" — watches o'er the sparrow's nest," Hows. Lamjridge. 45 

" Wherever, o'er the waiting earth, 

Roads wind and rivers flow," "Fenx. -Harlcy. 46 

" — mighty marts beyond the sea," Tess. ' Harlcy. 4T 

" — where palm-groves sound," -^Fenn. Kbtydon. 48 



THE SOI^G OF THE SOWEE. 



f'-\ 




The ina})les rudden in the sun ; 
In autnnm nold the beeches stand 



--rr> — -^. 
Rest, faithful ])louo;h, 

tliy work ib done 

Upon the teeming land. 

Bordered with ti-ee-^ whobe 
gay leaves iij 

On every breath that sweeps 
the sky, 

The fresh dark acres fur- 
rowed lie, 

And ask the sower'b hand. 







^^-rf% 













' ""'is 



'%<T* 



Loo'^e the tii-ed ^teer and let 

him <2,() 
To ])<i^ture ^^herc tlie gentians 

hh)^\, 
And ^^c, "who till tlic gratefnl 

ground, 
Fling we the golden shower 

around. 




n. 



Fling; wide tlie generous grain ; we liing 
O'er tlie dark mould tlie green of f^pring. 
For tliiek tlie emerald blades shall grow, 
When lirst the Mareh winds melt the snow, 
And to the slee}ting llowers, below, 
The early bluebirds sing. 



Fliiii!: wide tlie grain ; we i^-ive the lielclis 

The ears that nod in summer's i!:ale, 
The sliinino; stems tliat summer ij^ihls, 










The harvest that o'erlluws the vale, 
And swells, an amber sea, l)etween 
The full-leaved woctds, its shores ()t'i;'reen. 

13 




Hark ! from the murmuring clods I hear 
Glad voices of the coming year ; 
The song of him who binds the grain, 
The shout of those that load the wain, 
14 




And from the distant grange tliere conies 
Tlie clatter of the thresher's flail. 




III. 



Fling wide tlie golden shower ; we trnst 
The strength of armies to the dust, 
This peaceful lea may haply yield 
Its harvest for the tented field. 




Ila ! feel ^ye not your fingers thrill, 
As o'er them, in the yellow grains, 

Glide the warm drops of blood that fill, 
For mortal strife, the warrior's veins ; 




Sucli as, on Sulleriiio's day, 
Slaked the brown sand and flowed away ;— 
Flowed till the herds, on Mineio's hriiik, 
Snnfted the red stream and feared to drink 
Blood that in deeper pools shall lie. 

On the sad earth, as time grows gray, 
When men by deadlier arts shall die. 
And deeper darkness blot the sky 
Above the thnndering fray ; 




And realms, that liear tlie battle-cry, 

Sliall sicken with dismay ; 
And chieftains to the war shall lead 
Whole nations, with the tempest's s])eed, 
To perish in a day ; — 




oil strew, with pausing-, slnulderiiig liand, 

Tlie seed upon the helpless land, 

As if, at every step, ye cast 

The pelting hail and riving blast. 




IV. 



Kay, strew, with free and joyous sweep, 
The seed upon the expecting soil ; 

For hence the plenteous year shall heap 
The crarners of the men who toil. 




Strew the Lriglit seed for those who tear 
The matted sward with spade and share, 







And those whose sonnding axes gleam 
Beside the lonely forest-stream, 
Till its hroad banks lie bare ; 




And him who Ijreaks the <|iiaiTy-ledge, 

AVith hamnier-l)lows, plied quick and strong, 




And him who, with the steady sledge. 
Smites the shrill anvil all dav lono-. 



Sprinkle the fiurow's even trace 

For those whose toiling hands nprear 

The roof-trees of our swanning race, 

By grove and plain, by stream and ;, 
mere 








AVlio fortli, from crowded city, lead 
The leiigtlieiiiiio: street, and overlay 

Green orchard plot and grassy mead 
With ])avement oftlie mnrmnriiicr war 




Ca.st, with full IuukLs, the hai'\ e.st ca.st, 
For the brave men that climb the mast, 
Wlien to tlie billow and the blast 

It swings and stoops, with fearful strain, 
And l)ind the fluttering mainsail fast. 
Till the tossed l)ark shall sit again. 
Safe as a sea-bird in the main. 



V. 



Fling wide the grain for those who throw 
The clanking shnttle to and Iro, 
In the long row of humming rooms, 




jf^w friT^ 



And into ponderous masses wind 
The web that, from a thousand looms, 
Comes forth to clothe mankind. 

2q 



Strew, with free sweep, the grain \\>i- them 

By whom the busy thread, 
xViong; the garment's even hem 

And winding seam, is led ; 
A pallid sisterhood, that keep 




The lonely lamp alight. 
In strife with weariness and sleej). 

Beyond the middle night. 
Large part be theirs in what the year 
Shall ripen for the reaper here. 




VI. 



Still, strew, with joyous hand, the wheat 
On the soft mould heneath our feet, 

For even now I seem 
To hear a sound that lii;iitly riu<4-s 
Fi'om murmui'iuo- liai']) and violV strino:s. 

As ill ;i summer dream. 



sS^^"^ 



-^1 



i^^~ ^Ss-\-^ M/r '^i ' -^'1^*^ weleoiue ol tlie wedding 

guest, 
^'i^ ^ The bridegroom's look of 
basliful j^ride, 
) The faint smile of the pallid 
bride. 



'M 





Scatter the wlieat for sliipwreeked men, 
Wlio, hunger-worn, rejoice again 
In the sweet safet^y of tlie shore, 




And wanderers, lost in woodlands drear, 
Whose pulses bonnd with joy to hear 
Tlie lierdV light hell once more. 

34 




Freely the golden spray lie slied 
For liim wliose heart, when night conies down 
On the close alleys of the town. 

Is faint for lack of bread. 



Ill chill roof cliambers, bleak and bare, 
Or the damp cellar's stifling air, 
Sbe wlio now sees, in mute despair, 
Her children pine for food, 




Shall feel the dewa of gladness start 
To lids long tearless, and shall part 
The sweet loaf, with a grateful heart, 
Among her thin, pale brood. 

36 



VIII. 



Strew silently the fruitful seed, 
As softly o'er the tilth ye tread. 

For hands that delicately knead 
The consecrated bread. 




The mystic loaf that crowns the board, 
When, round the table of their Lord, 

Within a thousand temples set. 
In memory of the bitter death 
Of Him who taught at Nazareth, 

His followers are met, 
And thoughtful eyes with tears are wet. 

As of the Holy One they think, 
The glory of whose rising, yet 

Makes bright the grave's mysterious brink. 
38 




IX. 

Bretliren, the sower's task is done. 
The seed is in its winter bed. 
ISTow let the dark-brown mould l)e s])read, 

To hide it from the sun, 
And leave it to the kindly eare 
Of the still earth and broodino; air. 

39 



As wlien the niotlier, from her breast, 
Lays the hushed babe apart to rest, 




And shades its eyes and waits to see 
How sweet its w^aking smile will be. 




The teinpe^^t now may smite, the .•^leet 
All iiiii'lit on the di'owiied furrow beat, 



And winds that, from the cloudy liold, 
( )f Avinter breathe the bitter eohl, 




Stiffen to stone the mellow monld. 
Yet safe shall lie the wheat ; 




To wake witli wariiitli and nurse with dew, 
The genns we lay to slumber here. 




X, 



Oh blessed harvest yet to he ! 

Abide thou with the love that keeps, 
In its warm bosom, tenderly, 

The life which wakes and that which sleeps. 



x^- i. 



rt«/ 



% 







The love tliat leads the willing spheres 
Along the unending track of years, 
And watches o'er the sparrow's nest, 
Shall brood above thy wnnter i-est, 

And raise thee from the dust, to hold 
Light whisperings with the winds of May, 






l(i^ 







And till tliy spikes 

with living gold, 
From Bumnier's 

yellow raj, 
Then, as thy garners 

give thee forth, 
On what glad errands 

shalt thon go, 
AVherever, o'er the 

waiting earth, 
lloads wind and 

rivers flow. 

46 







The ancient East sliall welcome tliee 
To niio-lity marts heyond tlie sea,- 



And they who dwell where palm-groves sound 
To summer winds the whole year round, 
Shall watch, in gladness, from the shore, 
The sails that bring thy glistening store. 




C 32' 89 



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INDIANA 46962 







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